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The top Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City
Sometimes referred to as its former name of Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest and most populous city in Vietnam. It’s known for its bustling streets, French colonial architecture, and delicious Vietnamese cuisine. With gorgeous temples, bustling outdoor markets, and many moving sites like the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City is a very popular travel destination. Formerly Saigon, the largest city in Vietnam has a few accommodations that are ideal for the vacationing couple — think comfy beds, relaxing spas, and serene atmosphere. After visiting the city’s best hotels, we evaluated how they stacked up against the competition.
The InterContinental Saigon *****
The hotel is located on a busy street in District 1, a couple of blocks from the Saigon River. There are dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops nearby, and most major attractions are within walking distance of the property. The Opera House is less than a 10-minute walk away, and Ben Thanh markets, the Fine Arts Museum, Huynh Thuc Khang street market, Notre Dame Basilica, the War Remnants Museum, and the Independence Palace are all within a 20-minute walk. Xa Loi, the largest pagoda in HCM, is a 10-minute drive away, and the airport can be reached by car in about 30 minutes.
The rooms at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon are large, bright, and elegant, decorated in the same luxurious style as the rest of the property. Plush carpets with delicate prints over dark wooden floors, crisp white linens, round pillows, and bed runners in bold colors make spaces classy, while accent wood walls add texture. Although business-oriented, rooms are warm and sleek, and feature high-tech amenities, including flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, DVD players, and sound systems. Minibars, electric kettles, and Agraria toiletries are also standard amenities -- but there is a fee for Wi-Fi, which is surprising for a hotel in this price range. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light, and some offer expansive city views. Bathrooms are spacious and luxurious, with separate glass-enclosed walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs; some have wooden sliding doors opening onto the bedroom. Suites have the same beautiful decor style plus a few extra perks, such as jetted tubs, walk-in closets, and coffeemakers. Executive Rooms offer access to the Club Lounge, which features free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, evening cocktails, and snacks throughout the day.
As a hotel that caters to business travelers and well-heeled coupes, the InterContinental Asiana offers a wide array of features. The large pool is located on the rooftop, and offers a number of loungers as well as drinks service. There is a well-equipped fitness center with natural light and a wealth of machines, including strength training and cardio equipment. There are three restaurants, all serving different cuisines: Yu Chu offers a great Cantonese and Beijing menu; Market 39, the hotel’s acclaimed buffet, features a breakfast spread known for being one of the best in town; Basilico is an Italian trattoria with red and white checkered tablecloths and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street. Purple Jade Bar is sleek and modern, with mood lighting, a lounge area, and a long bar with a few stools. The Library is an intimate spot with comfy couches and a nice selection of drinks. Those looking to get pampered may want to book a treatment at the luxe spa, which offers a wide array of signature massages, as well as a wellness area with a steam bath, a sauna, and a whirlpool. The hotel also offers six high-tech meeting rooms and a staffed business center. Wi-Fi is available throughout for a fee.
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The Reverie *****
The Reverie trumpets luxury – with a 24-carat gold Baldi carriage-clock (taller than a man) in reception, and acres of glistening Italian marble and gilt. Rooms glitter with mosaic and floor-to-ceiling glass. Walls are adorned with priceless art, while the staff are poised to cater to every wish. The hotel sits in the 39-storey Times Square building in the heart of District One, Ho Chi Minh City’s business and tourist centre. The lobby opens onto Nguyễn Huệ boulevard, the main pedestrian street. The old French colonial centre (with the principal tourist sights), the choicest shops and the Bitexco Financial Tower are literally on the doorstep.
A red velvet Colombostile sofa as long as a stretch limo, a vast ballroom decorated like Milan’s La Scala by Rubelli, rooms replete with gold rococo flourishes...this is a 21st-century vertical Versailles, albeit secreted inside an undistinguished plate-glass business tower. It’s not a hotel for lovers of the frugal or understated, but a fantasy palace for real and pretend tycoons and princesses – a theatre-set for the ostentatious. Get into the act and the Reverie is great fun Staff are strategically positioned at every turn, ready to escort you anywhere (even the lift) and to cater to every whim. The rooftop pool has mesmerising Saigon river and city skyline views.
The two-floor spa is discreet, with sumptuous treatments and plenty of sauna and steam room space at any time of day. And the concierge is up-to-date and well-informed on the city’s best high-end eating and drinking, if a little short on detail on Saigon’s burgeoning, hipster speakeasy scene. Lavish rooms come in a bewildering 12 categories and include 62 suites, no two of which are the same. All are sealed from any city noise by thick glass, electric curtains and blinds. And all have with king-sized beds draped with rabbit-fur soft Frette linen sheets. Bathrooms come with tubs and showers, bewilderingly complex heated bidet-toilets and Chopard toiletries. The panoramic suites are the best mid-price choice, with two walls of room-high windows offering at-your-feet city views, and mosaic decoration by designers like Giorgetti. Access for guests with disabilities: Lifts to all rooms and ramps throughout. The Reverie is a hotel aimed at adults and grown-up children. While suites are large, there is nothing specifically for families, and children are discouraged from entering the R&J and Royal Pavilion restaurants.
The hotel has four restaurants, two of which are formal and have a dress code. The Royal Pavilion is a Saigon dining destination in its own right – serving an ever-changing menu of gourmet Cantonese dishes (such as braised bird’s nest soup with crab roe and crab meat, or baked chicken in lotus leaf) and some of the finest dim sum outside Hong Kong. The pork puff buns and red-rice rolls burst with flavour and collapse in the mouth like chocolate truffles. The R&J (after Romeo and Juliet) offers competent Italian standards. The all-day Café Cardinal and the street side Long Bar are informal. The former offers snacks and panoramic Saigon views. The latter’s bar spans almost 165 ft, serves decent Singapore Slings and Mai Tais (though you’ll find better in one of the nearby speakeasies) but has no air-conditioning. The main hotel restaurant offers a big buffet of European and Chinese hot dishes, cold meats and cheeses, fruits and eggs cooked in any conceivable manner. For a quieter breakfast served à la carte on white linen with a crisp European, Asian or American newspaper and a skyline view of the capital, eat in the 39th floor club lounge – use of which comes complimentary with any of the suites.
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Anantara Quy Nhon Villas *****
The Anantara Quy Nhon is all about intimacy. The sun rises over the ocean at the foot of your bed; French windows open onto private plunge pools that appear to spill into the sea; while a candlelit spa is secluded in lush forest trilling with cicadas. A leather-fitted Mercedes saloon whisks guests from the airport in sleepy Quy Nhon town to the hotel in around 40 minutes. It’s clear en route that the region remains little-visited. Tendril and vine-covered Twelfth Century Cham stupas jutt out of tangled rainforest on headlands, fishermen in coracles cast nets across tiny turquoise bays and there’s little more than sand and ghost crabs on the beaches. With no dining options nearby and day trips organisable only through the hotel, the Anantara is a true destination resort, albeit on a boutique scale.
It’s all about romantic beachside luxury here. Service comes in whispers; the loudest sound is the breaking of the waves. And the villas invite integration with nature. Huge windows (in bedrooms and bathrooms), open-air showers, and sun decks with private plunge pools give guests a sense of being part of the beach and bay landscape. Yet each villa is sealed off from everything but the magnificent views with wooden shuttering and leafy foliage. You can even breakfast or dine in-room – with the sunrise or al fresco on the terrace under the stars. You won’t want to leave – except to swim in the calm, turquoise sea, relax in the spa (set in a glade in the forest) or take day trips to snorkel
From airport pick-up to drop-off, service is superb – the perfect blend of warmth and efficiency, attentiveness and lack of intrusion. Housekeeping staff are so discreet they’re virtually invisible. Waiters remember your favourite table, food choices and sundry predilections. Massages are expert and the spa products first class. Tours (of Cham ruins, local markets or snorkelling) are tailored to each guest. And the private martial arts classes on the beach are a revelation.
Accommodation is all in one- or two-bedroom villas – set in their own tropical gardens either right on the beach or a few minutes’ walk away up the hillside. Beds draped with luxurious soft cottons sit in large sleeping areas whose soft creams and honey-coloured woods complement the warm natural light that floods in from floor-to-ceiling French windows. These open onto plunge pool decks, and wonderful views of a shimmering bay dotted with islets. Bathrooms decked out in honey-coloured stone and marble have huge mirrors, luxurious whirlpool tubs and outside shower areas. Anantara’s own spa-quality soaps and unguents are liberally supplied. Access for guests with disabilities: Public areas are wheelchair-accessible, but there are no adapted rooms.
The Sea Fire Salt restaurant serves a Vietnamese and international menu strong on seafood. Most dishes are roasted on raw salt blocks – bringing out the full flavour particularly of the ultra-fresh fish and lobster, which is never more than a day old. The wine list is excellent, with some 140 bottles. Breakfast is à la carte and includes French pastries, all manner of eggs (from poached and scrambled to Benedict, Royale or Florentine), cereals, tropical juices and French-style thick, creamy coffee.
Website
Sometimes referred to as its former name of Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest and most populous city in Vietnam. It’s known for its bustling streets, French colonial architecture, and delicious Vietnamese cuisine. With gorgeous temples, bustling outdoor markets, and many moving sites like the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City is a very popular travel destination. Formerly Saigon, the largest city in Vietnam has a few accommodations that are ideal for the vacationing couple — think comfy beds, relaxing spas, and serene atmosphere. After visiting the city’s best hotels, we evaluated how they stacked up against the competition.
The InterContinental Saigon *****
The hotel is located on a busy street in District 1, a couple of blocks from the Saigon River. There are dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops nearby, and most major attractions are within walking distance of the property. The Opera House is less than a 10-minute walk away, and Ben Thanh markets, the Fine Arts Museum, Huynh Thuc Khang street market, Notre Dame Basilica, the War Remnants Museum, and the Independence Palace are all within a 20-minute walk. Xa Loi, the largest pagoda in HCM, is a 10-minute drive away, and the airport can be reached by car in about 30 minutes.
The rooms at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon are large, bright, and elegant, decorated in the same luxurious style as the rest of the property. Plush carpets with delicate prints over dark wooden floors, crisp white linens, round pillows, and bed runners in bold colors make spaces classy, while accent wood walls add texture. Although business-oriented, rooms are warm and sleek, and feature high-tech amenities, including flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, DVD players, and sound systems. Minibars, electric kettles, and Agraria toiletries are also standard amenities -- but there is a fee for Wi-Fi, which is surprising for a hotel in this price range. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light, and some offer expansive city views. Bathrooms are spacious and luxurious, with separate glass-enclosed walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs; some have wooden sliding doors opening onto the bedroom. Suites have the same beautiful decor style plus a few extra perks, such as jetted tubs, walk-in closets, and coffeemakers. Executive Rooms offer access to the Club Lounge, which features free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, evening cocktails, and snacks throughout the day.
As a hotel that caters to business travelers and well-heeled coupes, the InterContinental Asiana offers a wide array of features. The large pool is located on the rooftop, and offers a number of loungers as well as drinks service. There is a well-equipped fitness center with natural light and a wealth of machines, including strength training and cardio equipment. There are three restaurants, all serving different cuisines: Yu Chu offers a great Cantonese and Beijing menu; Market 39, the hotel’s acclaimed buffet, features a breakfast spread known for being one of the best in town; Basilico is an Italian trattoria with red and white checkered tablecloths and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street. Purple Jade Bar is sleek and modern, with mood lighting, a lounge area, and a long bar with a few stools. The Library is an intimate spot with comfy couches and a nice selection of drinks. Those looking to get pampered may want to book a treatment at the luxe spa, which offers a wide array of signature massages, as well as a wellness area with a steam bath, a sauna, and a whirlpool. The hotel also offers six high-tech meeting rooms and a staffed business center. Wi-Fi is available throughout for a fee.
Website
The Reverie *****
The Reverie trumpets luxury – with a 24-carat gold Baldi carriage-clock (taller than a man) in reception, and acres of glistening Italian marble and gilt. Rooms glitter with mosaic and floor-to-ceiling glass. Walls are adorned with priceless art, while the staff are poised to cater to every wish. The hotel sits in the 39-storey Times Square building in the heart of District One, Ho Chi Minh City’s business and tourist centre. The lobby opens onto Nguyễn Huệ boulevard, the main pedestrian street. The old French colonial centre (with the principal tourist sights), the choicest shops and the Bitexco Financial Tower are literally on the doorstep.
A red velvet Colombostile sofa as long as a stretch limo, a vast ballroom decorated like Milan’s La Scala by Rubelli, rooms replete with gold rococo flourishes...this is a 21st-century vertical Versailles, albeit secreted inside an undistinguished plate-glass business tower. It’s not a hotel for lovers of the frugal or understated, but a fantasy palace for real and pretend tycoons and princesses – a theatre-set for the ostentatious. Get into the act and the Reverie is great fun Staff are strategically positioned at every turn, ready to escort you anywhere (even the lift) and to cater to every whim. The rooftop pool has mesmerising Saigon river and city skyline views.
The two-floor spa is discreet, with sumptuous treatments and plenty of sauna and steam room space at any time of day. And the concierge is up-to-date and well-informed on the city’s best high-end eating and drinking, if a little short on detail on Saigon’s burgeoning, hipster speakeasy scene. Lavish rooms come in a bewildering 12 categories and include 62 suites, no two of which are the same. All are sealed from any city noise by thick glass, electric curtains and blinds. And all have with king-sized beds draped with rabbit-fur soft Frette linen sheets. Bathrooms come with tubs and showers, bewilderingly complex heated bidet-toilets and Chopard toiletries. The panoramic suites are the best mid-price choice, with two walls of room-high windows offering at-your-feet city views, and mosaic decoration by designers like Giorgetti. Access for guests with disabilities: Lifts to all rooms and ramps throughout. The Reverie is a hotel aimed at adults and grown-up children. While suites are large, there is nothing specifically for families, and children are discouraged from entering the R&J and Royal Pavilion restaurants.
The hotel has four restaurants, two of which are formal and have a dress code. The Royal Pavilion is a Saigon dining destination in its own right – serving an ever-changing menu of gourmet Cantonese dishes (such as braised bird’s nest soup with crab roe and crab meat, or baked chicken in lotus leaf) and some of the finest dim sum outside Hong Kong. The pork puff buns and red-rice rolls burst with flavour and collapse in the mouth like chocolate truffles. The R&J (after Romeo and Juliet) offers competent Italian standards. The all-day Café Cardinal and the street side Long Bar are informal. The former offers snacks and panoramic Saigon views. The latter’s bar spans almost 165 ft, serves decent Singapore Slings and Mai Tais (though you’ll find better in one of the nearby speakeasies) but has no air-conditioning. The main hotel restaurant offers a big buffet of European and Chinese hot dishes, cold meats and cheeses, fruits and eggs cooked in any conceivable manner. For a quieter breakfast served à la carte on white linen with a crisp European, Asian or American newspaper and a skyline view of the capital, eat in the 39th floor club lounge – use of which comes complimentary with any of the suites.
Website
Anantara Quy Nhon Villas *****
The Anantara Quy Nhon is all about intimacy. The sun rises over the ocean at the foot of your bed; French windows open onto private plunge pools that appear to spill into the sea; while a candlelit spa is secluded in lush forest trilling with cicadas. A leather-fitted Mercedes saloon whisks guests from the airport in sleepy Quy Nhon town to the hotel in around 40 minutes. It’s clear en route that the region remains little-visited. Tendril and vine-covered Twelfth Century Cham stupas jutt out of tangled rainforest on headlands, fishermen in coracles cast nets across tiny turquoise bays and there’s little more than sand and ghost crabs on the beaches. With no dining options nearby and day trips organisable only through the hotel, the Anantara is a true destination resort, albeit on a boutique scale.
It’s all about romantic beachside luxury here. Service comes in whispers; the loudest sound is the breaking of the waves. And the villas invite integration with nature. Huge windows (in bedrooms and bathrooms), open-air showers, and sun decks with private plunge pools give guests a sense of being part of the beach and bay landscape. Yet each villa is sealed off from everything but the magnificent views with wooden shuttering and leafy foliage. You can even breakfast or dine in-room – with the sunrise or al fresco on the terrace under the stars. You won’t want to leave – except to swim in the calm, turquoise sea, relax in the spa (set in a glade in the forest) or take day trips to snorkel
From airport pick-up to drop-off, service is superb – the perfect blend of warmth and efficiency, attentiveness and lack of intrusion. Housekeeping staff are so discreet they’re virtually invisible. Waiters remember your favourite table, food choices and sundry predilections. Massages are expert and the spa products first class. Tours (of Cham ruins, local markets or snorkelling) are tailored to each guest. And the private martial arts classes on the beach are a revelation.
Accommodation is all in one- or two-bedroom villas – set in their own tropical gardens either right on the beach or a few minutes’ walk away up the hillside. Beds draped with luxurious soft cottons sit in large sleeping areas whose soft creams and honey-coloured woods complement the warm natural light that floods in from floor-to-ceiling French windows. These open onto plunge pool decks, and wonderful views of a shimmering bay dotted with islets. Bathrooms decked out in honey-coloured stone and marble have huge mirrors, luxurious whirlpool tubs and outside shower areas. Anantara’s own spa-quality soaps and unguents are liberally supplied. Access for guests with disabilities: Public areas are wheelchair-accessible, but there are no adapted rooms.
The Sea Fire Salt restaurant serves a Vietnamese and international menu strong on seafood. Most dishes are roasted on raw salt blocks – bringing out the full flavour particularly of the ultra-fresh fish and lobster, which is never more than a day old. The wine list is excellent, with some 140 bottles. Breakfast is à la carte and includes French pastries, all manner of eggs (from poached and scrambled to Benedict, Royale or Florentine), cereals, tropical juices and French-style thick, creamy coffee.
Website
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